Blossom and Smoke
by Peanut-Alien-Ninja-Girl
Summary: [DISCONTINUED] Ringo's life had always been devoid of difficult choices, and her future didn't promise to be much different – which she didn't really mind – But war was uncertain and the ones involved with it even more so. She was certain that every moment she spent near Madara was a threat to her lifestyle, yet something seemed to keep her rooted right by his side.
1. Vanishing

Although I highly recommend reading the original story, I made a summary of it from one of the characters perspective. It leaves some of my favorite things out, but I re-read the original and I think that the first few chapter could've been much better written (and also Madara gets hit by a fruit) so I empathize with anyone who didn't want to keep up with the story from the start. That, or maybe the characters age was off-putting… Having teen Madara and Izuna was actually one of my favorite things (Because it's kawaii!), but... yeah, for the people who prefer more adult stuff (*cough*nottalkingaboutlemons*cough*), and for the people who liked the story and wanted me to stop being a brat and give it a decent ending, here is the sequel to Apples: Blossom and Smoke!

* * *

At first, Ringo didn't think there would be anything particularly interesting about her day off.

She woke up to a sunny morning, to find her father already up and making food. As they ate, mostly silently, she looked through a small window, and sighed inwardly upon realizing that the view was one she was getting used to.

For reasons she didn't know – and didn't really care to learn – The Uchiha, the clan her ancestors had been subjugated to for generations an generations, to the point there was virtually no distinction between them, had engaged in a dispute with a clan to the east of their lands, and as the battle was happening just outside of their borders, all of the villages in the area – hers included – had to be evacuated and relocated to the outskirts of the main building of the clan.

That had been nearly six months ago.

She thought it odd that the Uchiha had waited for so long to send their main force of attack – namely, their leader – to the battle-field, but she wasn't going to voice her opinions on the matter, as she was ignorant in the subjects of politics or war, but also smart enough to know that none would listen to her if she tried to.

Not that many people knew this, but Ringo had had access to the clan's leader for a good portion of the time she had been there. Unfortunately, most of this time had been spent on her knees, enduring the man's insults, and she didn't think criticizing his leadership skills would do her any good. Fortunately, their relationship had progressed with time, which, considering the past they shared, was a complete surprise.

She met Madara four years ago, when he and his brother were sent in a mission to patrol the borders of their territory, which happened to be close to her home. Their first interaction hadn't been great either; she threw an apple at his head after he tried to steal from her family's orchard. The effort had been in vain, as he ended up getting the fruit anyway – her father even gave it to him. He had later explained to her that he only did so because it was better to stay on the shinobi's good side, since there was a chance that he knew of her brother's – Michio, who he had left to become a shinobi nearly one year before that incident – whereabouts. Besides, Madara and his brother were considered prodigies, and angering them was not in their best interest.

The farmers welcomed the siblings into their home, gave them food and access to all of their belongings, not out of kindness, as her father disliked ninja, but in case they could get something out of their presence.

And they managed to find this something.

Izuna told her of his and his brother's wishes to control the clan in the future, a secret she promptly reported to her father. At first, that was of little use, but, by what seemed to have been pure chance, he stumbled upon a squad of shinobi from the Shirohae, and striked a deal with them. As the clan in question was interested in taking advantage of the turbulent times the Uchiha were going through to claim some of their territory. As her father knew that Madara and Izuna could stop the seemingly constant descent of their clan, he suggested helping the Shirohae in a ploy to kill the two brothers. Several arrangements were made, and soon Ringo found herself entwined in the scheme, and even though she wasn't pleased about it, she knew that if they backed out now, the Shirohae would kill them, and so she helped her father out by relating important information on the brother's to her father.

It didn't take her long to start regretting it, though. Her relationship with both Madara and Izuna had grown more than she would have ever expected –_especially_ with Madara. She searched for a way to stop the Shirohae's plans without putting her father's life in danger. Unfortunately, that required putting _hers_ instead, but she knew her priorities.

She ran off towards the place she knew the Shirohae were camping, hoping that her disappearance would cause the two brothers to go looking for her, and, upon finding the other clan's squad, ambush them. Although the only one to find her had been the eldest sibling, he didn't disappoint, killing all his opponents, and successfully undermining the plan.

After this incident, she thought the Shirohae would give up on trying to kill Madara and Izuna, but she had miscalculated. On the day they were to return to the Uchiha compound, the brothers were ambushed by another enemy squad, and though they had no trouble defeating them, they managed to get one of the ninja to reveal the plan, revealing her father's involvement in the attacks. Needless to say, things didn't end well.

It wasn't something she liked to dwell in, but whenever she did, she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that she was still alive.

"Well…" The girl spoke softly, and so she wasn't truly surprised when the man in front of her showed no reaction. She was a little disappointed, if anything.

Ringo set her hands on the table and hummed, trying to capture her father's attention. Katsuro looked up from his food, and smiled at her.

"Done already?"

Ringo nodded "I was thinking of paying a visit to Asuka since I haven't seen her in a while."

"It's your day off; none can boss you around today." He said and a grin blossomed on her face "I would rest if I were you but… I guess some of us just don't need much rest." His smiled widened and she giggled, shaking her head.

"I'll be going then." The young woman pointed over her shoulder to the door, stepping backwards to make way to the exit.

"Have fun." His expression didn't change.

Before leaving the room, Ringo paused to wave at her father. He looked down just as she raised her hand, so the gesture went by unnoticed.

_Oh, well._

Perhaps the air was a bit too stuffy, but the day outside was nice nonetheless. Once she found Asuka, she'd ask her to come on a walk with her.

She was honestly concerned about her friend. Back home, thanks to the distance between her houses, she didn't see Asuka as much as she'd like to, but their current residences were much closer, and it wasn't rare for the two to meet by accident on a daily basis… That is, up until two weeks ago, when her friend suddenly vanished. Of course, Ringo hadn't actively looked for her, but she didn't think it would be needed.

She arrived at the other's house – that somehow looked eerily silent to her. Of course, the house that she was living in was just as silent, but Asuka's family was considerably larger than hers.

"Asuka-chan!" She shouted, placing a hand on each side of her face to amplify the sound.

A few seconds later, a window was opened brusquely, revealing an uncharacteristically angry girl.

"Don't shout." Asuka hissed, and Ringo furrowed her brows at her friend's demeanor.

"I was worried about you." She replied defensively, and this time the other one was confused.

"Why?"

"I haven't seen you in forever!" Ringo explained, being careful to keep her voice low while also expressing distress. She hoped she wasn't doing half bad.

"It's because I caught some stupid illness, then when I got better, my brother had it, then my mother, then my sister…" She shook her head in an exhausted way "I'm staying home so I can take care of them."

Ringo mouthed an 'O' of understanding. "Do you need help?"

"What, so you can get sick too?" Asuka grinned, almost as if the other woman had told her a joke "No way. Besides, you're the only one bringing money home right now, aren't you? You can't just do something that will keep you from working."

"Good point." Ringo pursed her lips "So you can't go on a walk with me, can you?"

"Sorry." Her friend shrugged "I'll ask father if it's alright for me to go out when he comes back later, but still, I think I might end up giving you something you _don'_t want to get."

"You're such a party pooper." she groaned theatrically, trying to inject some humor in their conversation.

"You know it." Asuka beamed "Talk to you later, butt face!"

Before Ringo could reply, the window was slammed shut, and she was left to grumble by herself. Leave it to Asuka to insist on that nickname even after all those years.

Well, now that she was alone, there was no much fun in walking. The village around the compound was too loud and chaotic for her likes, and the only way she thought she could enjoy it was if she was in the presence of a friend. Of course, she could always call Riki, but she had been spending too much time with him lately, and none of her other friends knew her as well.

As Ringo mulled over those thoughts, her feet took her where they willed, and in no time the young woman found herself in the middle of a crowd – but not an ordinary one. Rather than going about their daily activities, the people stood in the same place, some craning their necks, some celebrating among themselves, but all of them seemed to have their attentions directed to the same subject. Although she wasn't short – if anything, she was on the tall side – even standing on her toes didn't help her see what the fuss was about.

She sighed and let her shoulders drop, before noticing something bumping on her leg. She looked down and found a little girl, jumping almost frantically, probably hoping to get a glimpse of whatever event was currently happening.

"Hello." She smiled and crouched to the child's level, apparently surprising her. "I can't see what is going on either. What do you say we join forces? You climb on my shoulder to get a better view and then tell me what you see."

The girl seemed to ponder for a minute, before nodding resolutely.

Ringo bowed her head and extended her arms behind her back, so the other could use them as leverage. The girl wasted no time, clinging to her back and then finding a comfortable position on her shoulders. Once she was convinced the girl wouldn't fall off, the young woman began rising slowly, until she reached her full height.

"What do you see?" Ringo asked.

"The shinobi!" The girl practically squealed in delight, pointing to something in the distance.

"They're back already?" She asked. She knew the Uchiha had been successful in their campaign against the Kaguya (thanks to the other maid's conversations – frankly, she thought her father should place more importance in gossip as a means of information), but she hadn't expected them to return so soon.

The girl didn't listen to her question or didn't deem an answer necessary, remaining gaping at the scene in front of her.

All that enthusiasm was adorable – but then again, wouldn't most children be interested in shinobi? She knew she had been… But in her case, curiosity was mostly at fault, as her village didn't have any sort of system to teach whatever it was that ninja learned, making everything about the concept be shrouded in mystery. The children in the village surrounding the stronghold were familiar with shinobi, and so the fascination most likely came from admiration.

That was an odd thought, but it made sense to her.

Suddenly the girl let out a high pitched scream and started waving her arms frantically.

"What's happening?" Ringo asked again, furrowing her brows.

"My cousin!" The girl screeched "Daichi! Daichi!"

Although Ringo couldn't see anything, she assumed the girls calls went by unnoticed, as she kept shouting and shouting, before finally sighing.

"Can you see anyone else? Ma-Madara-sama, maybe?" She remembered to use the honorific in time. Although she knew that Madara deserved respect in certain aspects, she still didn't feel comfortable referring to him in such a formal manner. Besides, none of the people she talks to on a daily basis didn't mind the lack of honorific.

The girl stretched her neck "No. Can't see him."

"You'd think with hair like that someone would see him from a mile away." Her remark was rewarded with a giggle.

"He must be waaaaaay up ahead! I have good eyes." After this, the girl was silent, merely observing the event. Ringo remained still for as long as she could, but either their army was bigger than she had anticipated of she wasn't as strong as she thought she was, because she got tired before the procession was over.

"Time to go down." She said casually, patting the girl's legs then crouched down again to let the girl climb down.

"Thank you, lady!" She beamed at the woman, before running off into the crowd.

Ringo watched the girl disappear, then closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Despite feeling out of place in that village, she still liked to be among people – and anything that made her feel part of something bigger, for that matter. A small piece in a great puzzle, seemingly unimportant at first, but essential to the bigger picture.

She kept still and silent, sensing the world around her and feeling herself vanish into everything.

* * *

He should be sleeping.

Madara had just returned from _war_, and instead of going to rest as soon as he arrived, her decided to catch up on the work that piled up while he was away. Though he was exhausted and knew that his bad habit would only compromise his health in the long run, he was used to sleepless night, even if his brother constantly insisted that he should rest more. He could only imagine Izuna's reaction if he knew that he was that this time he was staying up late to deal with matters that didn't concern the clan.

At least not directly.

There was a knock on the door, and Madara's lips curled upwards in an expression that almost resembled a smirk. He was just in time.

"Come in."

A lanky man walked into the room, closing the door swiftly behind him. "Did you wish to see me, Madara-sama?"

"Yes, Jun." He started "I want you to investigate some files for me. More precisely, the death toll on our side on The Land of Earth five years ago."

"Do you wish me to go through all of the deaths?" Jun inquired, clearly skeptical about the other's request.

"No, I have a specific person in mind." The shinobi explained slowly "I want any records on a man named Michio."

"It's not a particularly common name, but is there another way for me to identify the exact person you're looking for?"

"He hails from Takyama, is older than me, and seems to be self-taught or some other such nonsense." Not the most detailed description, but it would have to suffice.

Jun stood quietly in the center of the room, no doubt trying to think of a reason for the clan leader to be interested in an unknown man. Well, that was one puzzle Madara didn't think he'd be able to piece together.

"Yes, Madara-sama." He bowed low after a moment.

"This is not to be taken as a priority." Madara added "This matter does not concern the clan directly… think of it as a personal favor. If you aren't able to do this, no harm will come of it, but if you _are_ then you'll be more highly thought of, and with that…" He didn't think he had to finish the sentence. He knew the man was smart enough to realize he would benefit from this trade.

"I understand." The other spoke in a careful tone "However, if this is not a mission…"

"It'll be a few hours of your free time." He explained "But keep this in mind; the sooner you finish this task, the better. If you don't finish this before the reports of the patrols in the eastern villages reach me, this will be useless."

"How long do you suppose this could take?"

"Unless there were any casualties, most likely three weeks." He replied, resisting the urge to sigh. "However, seeing as I have to put the information you give me to use, the earlier you get it, the better."

"I will work diligently on it, then." Jun nodded, causing Madara to grin.

"Dismissed." With one last bow, the man left the room, leaving the clan leader to his thoughts.

Madara pressed two of his finger against his eyelids, remaining still for quite a while, before sighing and standing up, deciding on going to sleep, as he didn't think he'd be able to accomplish anything for the little that remained of that evening… or was it morning already?

He did deserve some rest. Hopefully, he'd be out as soon as he laid down his head, knocked into a dreamless slumber, so he could feel as if he was vanishing into nothingness.

* * *

**Authors notes:**

jfc, I'm so melodramatic.

So I finally quit being lazy and named Ringo's village (Takyama). Google translate says it means 'alpine', which, while not entirely accurate… well, there are some mountains there, so I guess it kind of fits.

This chapter would've been useless if not for the last bit. Plot progression YEAAAAAAAAAH! Although my plot is still very basic, it's becoming more defined in my mind. Michio will be an important part – but I still don't know exactly how xD

Also, regarding the beta-reading thing – since someone sent me a review mentioning it, and guys, you should totally review logged in so I can give you send you a message – , it's not something that I feel I'm in dire need of, so if anyone thought of doing to help me out but is currently busy, I really don't want anyone to have more on their plate than they can eat, so it's totally ok for me to not have a beta-reader, as I'll upload the story one way or another. The thing is, since I the plot is not entirely formed, I'm willing to release anything I write for this story while it's still drafted if people are willing to give me criticism and genuinely want to do so.

Also, to the people who commented: you are all sweethearts. Srsly. If you were here right now I'd bake you all cookies S2

Oooooh! There's one more thing! This is one thing I've been doing since Apples, I name the chapters after a song or a part of the lyrics of a song, not necessarily because the song itself reminds me of the chapter (though sometimes it does) but because the word/sentence I chose reminds me of the chapter. I just thought this would be an interesting curiosity...?


	2. Good Day

Ringo now believed that working as a maid had its perks. While her day was long and tiring, she earned enough money to take care of herself and her father comfortably and many tasks were mechanical enough so that she could keep her mind busy with other things, such as humming tunes to herself, daydreaming, contemplating the mysteries of life and talking whenever she had company.

Scrubbing the floors was certainly not her preferred task, as the force it required to get them completely clean interfered with her thoughts, but she was beginning to grow accustomed to that as well. Not that she understood why she had to do that anyway. Back at home they only swept; cleaning the boards with a rag until they shone seemed like an awful waste of time.

It was obvious that she currently didn't have anyone to talk to and had exhausted her creativity, because she was occupying her mind with thoughts of a work that she didn't really like.

But she knew she had to work for two, and she couldn't stand just sitting idly anyway.

She must have been more focused on her task than she had thought, because when she heard a loud sound right behind her, she nearly jumped into a standing position.

There was a chuckle, then a question in a voice that was very familiar to her "Did I _scare_ you?"

"Startle." She corrected, whirling around and coming face to face with Uchiha Madara. She hadn't seen him for weeks, and he greeted her as if they had only been a few hours apart… Strangely enough, she didn't mind.

But it was odd nonetheless. The last person she had seen him interact with was that awful shinobi who practically cornered them in a small room, and Madara had acted in a hostile manner. Then again, he had been even more "hostile" to her when they met months ago. It was strange… maybe she should just stop thinking about that. Trying to decipher him was more likely to give her a headache than an answer.

And there was only silence. Much like the last time she had seen him, Madara had approached her but he didn't seem to have anything to say. She assumed she should be the one to start the conversation, then.

"Did you have fun?" When her response was just a puzzled stare, Ringo knew she should have been more specific "With the Kaguya."

"Ah, yes." His expression broke into a smirk "Whenever I killed one, other five seemed to sprout from the ground."

"I'll just take your word for that." That didn't really seem fun at all, but she decided to smile.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand it." Even though he had sighed when he said this, something about him seemed rather… content.

They remained in comfortable silence for a few seconds, until a loud voice echoed down the hall calling for her. Ringo narrowed her eyes in confusion. She recognized the voice as one of the girl's she had befriended, but she had no idea what she was yelling for. It took her only a second to remember she had promised to have lunch with her. Was she so late the girl had gone looking for her?

"Just a second, Minari-chan!" She yelled back, hoping her answer would give her some more time. She had seen how quickly secrets spread in the compound to not want to be seen around Madara. She already had had to stand the gossiping when Madara changed her schedule the first time, though, thankfully, none had associated her name and face with the story.

As she stood up, she caught sight of a curious expression in Madara's face. He was looking at her and he seemed to be thinking something, but she had no idea what it could be.

If only she could read thoughts…

"I assume you didn't have as much fun." He broke the silence, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't want to trade places with you, though." Ringo beamed in reply.

"Then maybe you should be going."

The girl just stared at him with wide eyes. It sounded like he had just dismissed her, and, truthfully, it wouldn't surprise her if he did that, but it was just so sudden. He had approached her, shouldn't he have something to say something?

In spite of herself, Ringo nodded. He didn't made any sign that he had something to say, and so she bowed her head awkwardly before giving a step back "See you!" _'maybe'_ she added in her mind, turning around to go after Minari.

Madara watched with a slight grimace as she retreated. He had considered whether or not to reprimand her for shouting in the hallways, but he wasn't in the mood for that. Besides, it wasn't really surprising that Ringo would ignore those unspoken rules. The other girl, however, should know better.

But he really didn't have time for such petty matters. He should be with his little brother right now, and he already had to come up with an excuse for being late. Truth was, he had been filling paperwork and lost track of time, and when he saw Ringo he already knew he would be late to meet Izuna, so stopping for a minute wouldn't make any difference. He could already hear his brother asking what had taken him so long.

His expression melted into something akin to a smile and he resumed his journey to Izuna's room.

He opened the door, not bothering to knock on it or otherwise announcing his presence; his arrival shouldn't be surprising.

Madara found his brother in the porch to an inner garden, his back resting against a column as he inspected his weapons, most likely bored out of his mind.

Izuna lifted his gaze from the wooden sword he had been balancing in one finger and grinned at his brother.

"What took you so long?"

Had he even been more right?

"Bathroom." Madara announced. Though he didn't like lying to his brother, he knew Izuna would worry needlessly if his answer was any other.

"That's though." Izuna replied cheerfully "Have you been eating well?"

Madara rolled his eyes in reply, but a grin spread across his face as he walked by his brother and climbed down the porch.

The garden was certainly not the best place for a fight, but at least none would come bother them there. At any rate, there weren't many places he could unleash his full potential without destroying something important.

His brother followed his lead, happily getting into a fighting stance, his war fan extending in front of him as if to form a shield.

The youngest remained still for a moment, as if waiting for him to make the first move. Madara gave him a questioning smile, and Izuna merely smiled and tilted his head to the side in an innocent expression. Well, that was fair. If his otouto wanted him to go first, he could comply.

At the slightest movement from the clan leader, Izuna's eyes glinted with mischief and, with a flick of his wrist, something sprouted from the ground, just behind his sibling.

Madara was quick to dodge the attack that was aimed straight at him, and, giving a step back, he grabbed the chain that was connected to his brother's war fan and pulled on it, causing it to be lugged forwards. Izuna grimaced and detached the chain from his weapon, and the links surged from the hole in quick succession, causing the chain to be completely pulled up.

"Already losing part of our equipment, are we?" The older brother asked, brandishing the object with a grin.

Izuna merely smiled in reply, and Madara was quick to realize there was something wrong. Hanging from the last link was a tiny pouch, so small he might not have noticed it if it wasn't for the hint.

He threw the chain to the skies and an explosion soon followed. Concealing an explosive in the weaponry his opponent was about to take from him was clever, but the bomb had to be small to be kept hidden, and thus wasn't powerful enough to cause a lot of damage.

As the chain fell to the ground with a thud, the two brothers only stared at each other, as if daring the other to make a move.

The flurry of leaves was the only warning Izuna had, and suddenly his opponent was right in his face, aiming for his neck, and he barely had enough time to dodge, jumping backwards. Apparently, Madara had predicted his actions, as the chain he had previously discarded was free falling, ready to land right on top of Izuna's head. At first he wondered why his brother chose to attack him with the chain, which was pretty harmless by itself, but when he felt the earth crackling beneath his feet he realized that the intent behind that action was to distract him. He barely had time to escape the hand that sprung from the ground and staggered backwards, hitting a tree in the process.

He took the rumbling sound as a sign that Madara had dispelled the jutsu, as he was too busy touching the bruised spot in his scalp to bother examining his surroundings.

"Izuna" The youngest sibling looked up to his brother to see him furrowing his brows "your steps are becoming slow."

He shook his head in return, but inwardly he agreed with Madara. His brother had always been better than him, they called him a prodigy when they were children, but recently the gap between their skills had grown dramatically. It probably just meant that Madara was improving much faster, but a part of him – a rather paranoid part of him – insisted on the tiniest possibility that _he_ was regressing, and though this was a ridiculous thought, it bothered him immensely.

And that was why he couldn't say anything.

"I'm just not as focused today." He hoped that his words were in accordance with reality, rather than just an excuse.

Madara's concerned expression turned into that of slight disappointment, and his lower lip curled into something that would have been considered a pout in any other person's face "You were the one who wanted to spar, though."

"Wasn't counting on this" Izuna mumbled, realizing he sounded more grumpy than he had intended.

His brother seemed to be considering his explanations, then grinned almost sadistically as he aimed a punch at his head.

"Try those excuses on the battle field."

Izuna dodged to attack jumping backwards and minding his head so he wouldn't hit the tree again. Madara's aggressiveness forced him to stay on the defensive until he could find an opening and strike.

…That could take a while.

He activated his Sharingan and the world became much clearer in his eyes. His brother's next attack left a tiny, tiny, _tiny_ space for him to aim a hit at his waist. It was a small window, but who could say when the next opportunity would arise?

Izuna ducked a punch and made a beeline for his target, but Madara reacted quickly, hitting his arm with such force he was forced to drop his weapon. He rolled on his side and landed away from the other to avoid further losses.

As he looked back to Madara, he couldn't remember the last time his brother looked _that_ disappointed on him.

Maybe that was the incentive he needed.

Izuna performed the seals to a fire jutsu in quick succession, expelling a huge fireball from his mouth. He caught a familiar glint in his opponent's eyes just before he used the water of conveniently placed pond for a water ninjutsu. The column of steam that resulted from the two techniques meeting was just the distraction he needed.

His next attack consisted of hiding several shuriken in smaller fireballs. Almost instantly after they passed through the foggy threshold, his no longer concealed weapons were redirected towards him. Izuna didn't think for even a moment that that attack would harm his brother in, but it wasn't what it was meant to do from the start. He knew Madara long enough to have figured that the best way to make him lower his defenses was to hide decoy under decoy under decoy, and never take time for a breather.

He skidded through the steam, hoping that his distraction had been good enough, but somehow he was already expected on the other side, and his welcome gift was a kick to the chest. He was flung backwards, and the other was almost immediately on him. And once more, he was forced to remain on the defensive.

His brother had unwittingly pushed him to where his discarded sword lied, and with a swift motion, Izuna kicked it straight at his head. If Madara was the least bit surprised by this, he didn't show, simply grabbing the weapon and twirling it in his fingers before throwing it at him.

The sound of wood clanking against wood made Izuna realize just how close to a wall he was, and he decided that this was a good opportunity to try and get some leverage.

He estimated how far the wall was and deciding it was probably close enough he jumped backwards, and was pleased when his feet found something solid. He use chakra to propel himself in the air, and hopefully land behind his brother and gain some more space.

His brother looked up as he passed by him, a smirk playing in his lips. In the blink of an eye he was hit with something heavy, and he flopped to the ground.

Madara moved to another hit, but just as he was about to make contact something held his hand in place.

He grimaced, fist pressing hard against the purple "surface" surrounding his target. Far from him to want to harm him, but he was angry that Izuna had thought necessary to use _that_ technique to avoid his punch. That not only testified against his skill – and Madara made a mental note to make more time to train his little brother – but it was also a reckless thing to do outside of a life or death situation. Still, Izuna had never showed any signs of being affected by the Mangekyou Sharingan, so he supposed he could be lenient in this aspect.

"Madara" Izuna's voice was uncharacteristically shrill, and he remained curled on his side.

The oldest sibling furrowed his brows and crouched down to be on eye-level.

With his shield deactivated, the young man pulled himself up and turned his head around until finally focusing on Madara. His eyes looked… hazy.

"Madara" He repeated in a weak voice "I-I can't see right."

There was a moment of silence, in which Madara couldn't force any words to leave his mouth. When he finally did, he only managed a feeble 'What?'

"I can't see."

"At all?" The oldest couldn't help but baring his teeth.

"I can see your outline, but no details. I-I can't see your face." Izuna suddenly felt something hooking under his arm and pulling him into a standing positon.

"Rest. I'll go fetch a medic to solve this." The dark shape that resembled his brother spoke, dragging him across the yard, up the porch and to his futon.

"I'm sure it's going to be just like yours." The youngest said "Your sight just takes a few minutes to go back to normal, doesn't it?"

'Yes.' Madara didn't want to talk about that, so he simply answered his brother in thought 'But I won't risk yours.'

"Stay here." He ordered instead, turning on his heels and leaving the room.

He took long strides to cover the hallways in the shortest time possible without running. He bumped into quite a few people on his way to the medical wing, but if he was too busy to watch his step, he was certainly too busy to stop to apologize.

He hoped, for their own sake, that their few medics were ready for an emergency. Although they weren't having success looking for a way to cure his eyes without resorting to the infamous "solution", if they couldn't find a way to heal his brother, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

Ringo extended her hands to the sky, stretching upwards and smiling in contentment.

Being summer, it wasn't as dark when her shift ended, and the sky still retained hints of red and orange. She left the compound the same time every day, but the sunlight made her feel tens of times more productive.

It was still nice out, and she really could use a stroll. Her father wouldn't be worried if she took a short detour, would he?

She didn't have a specific route in mind, just the wish to not go anywhere near her house for a few minutes, and so on the very first crossroad, she walked on the opposite direction she normally went, and at every turn she focused on moving as far away from her final destination as possible. Walking felt nice, and she decided to prolong it for as long as she could.

And then she was lost.

Although not knowing where she was made her fidgety, it wasn't that big of a deal. The village was built in such a way that it was fairly easy to get to the stronghold from whatever place you started. The idea of walking all the way back and then going to her house didn't please her, but, hey, she could just call it an adventure and find some enjoyment in it.

The street she ended up in was empty. There were no people outside and no sounds coming from any houses in either side. For a fleeting moment she wondered if they were even inhabited, or if this was some "ghost town" portion of the village. The notion filled her with both fear and excitement, and in the end she decided to explore a little more.

She delved further into the street, making as little sound as she could. She didn't actually expect to find any ghosts there, but the waning light of the moon made the rational part of her brain falter.

Just then she looked up at the sky, and what she saw made the hairs in the back of her neck stand on an end. Sitting in one of the roofs was a shadow, staring at the moon and oblivious as to her presence. At first she was immensely glad that whatever it was it hadn't noticed her, but when she calmed down the figure became clearer, and she approached slowly, now almost certain of who it was.

She had walked only a few steps when the person on the roofs moved its head and stared at her. She froze on the spot, embarrassed about having been caught.

The figure stood and jumped out of the roof graciously, its long hair trailing in the wind, leaving no doubts as to who it was. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he looked at her for a brief moment before walking down the street.

She considered letting him go – it looked like he had things in his mind anyway – but she decided against it. Why? Well… she hadn't gone as far as to come up with a reason for her actions, but her legs forced her to take off in the direction of the retreating figure, even with her mind berating them for it.

"Madara!" She shouted "Wait!"

"Leave me." He spoke hoarsely, and his steps seemed to have increased in speed, yet not so much that she couldn't reach him if she tried.

Although his words should have sent her back in the way she came, she still felt the urge to follow him and make him tell her what was wrong, because there was _definitely_ something wrong.

"No, wait." She caught up with him, but he still didn't seem interested in stopping, so she ran to stand in front of him.

That only made him change his course slightly, walking by her. She wouldn't simply let him brush her off so easily, so she grabbed the fabric of his sleeve as he passed and tugged on it.

This time he turned to look at her, and his eyes revealed annoyance. He was mad at something, it was obvious, but it wasn't at her. What she was doing was probably not helping, but…

"You are upset." She pointed out dumbly, and he exhaled deeply at her observation. "Why?"

"Classified information." He retorted "I won't reveal anything compromising so you might as well leave."

"I wasn't trying to get "dirt" on you." She narrowed her eyes at the insinuation. "I know you don't want to believe I worry about you, but I do."

"No matter how "noble" your intentions are, I can attest to the fact that you can't keep your mouth shut."

"What is the danger in me knowing about it? Even if I tell, what do you think it's going to happen?"

He eyed her for a while longer, and though he still didn't seem exactly happy the anger in his eyes had diminished.

"You are too stubborn." She merely shrugged.

"Aren't you going to tell me what happened?"

Madara only looked at her emotionlessly, and so she placed her hands on her hips and gave him her best severe look. They spent a few seconds in the same positions until the man sighed theatrically and leaned against a wall, and her serious expression faded into a smile once she assumed he had given in.

"What is it that I have to do for you to leave me alone?"

"Either tell me already or knock me unconscious." She maintained her serene smile, even though she was very aware that she had just suggested that he should use force on her.

"So my only two options are to reveal valuable information or beat you bloody." A smirk surged on his face as he said those words and Ringo paled, beginning to wave her hands in front of her face frantically.

"Wait, wait, I never said _that_!" Her fear seemed only to amuse him further, and he made a sound akin to a chuckle.

"If this is what must be done…" He trailed of, and she instinctively flinched and crossed her arms in front of her face, but no blow came. Instead, Madara took a deep breath and started speaking again "Izuna and I are going blind."

Ringo lowered her hands slowly, worried that his words were only meant as a distraction, and as soon as she lowered her guard, he'd hit her… but would Madara really say something like that for such a petty reason? And besides… where on earth did she get the idea that he'd need to catch her off guard if he wanted to hurt her? She had seen him fight before; she knew she'd be down even before she thought of asking for help.

Still, the idea of the brothers going blind was both ridiculous and uncomfortable for her.

"W-what do you mean by blind?" She asked tentatively, hoping he was just speaking in riddles.

"Blind as in unable to see." He growled, and she realized this was the worst possible question she could've asked. If they were really going blind…

"But why?" Maybe asking any more would only make him angrier, and then he would _really_ beat her bloody, but her mouth seemed to rattle on its own, certainly more concerned with her curiosity than with common sense.

"It's a side effect of our doujutsu." He answered in between gritted teeth, and this one time her mouth was smart enough not to ask what a doujutsu was "The techniques put strain on our eyes which eventually renders them useless. We're on the process of losing our sight."

Ringo remained silent to think of something to say, and though she didn't expect him to say confide anything else to her, he did.

"It's not the sort of thing you can choose _not_ to have, but I decided to use it, and convinced Izuna as well." He suddenly stopped speaking, but it didn't seem like he had run out of things to say, just that he didn't know which words to use.

Ringo knew enough about Madara to say that he wasn't being himself, and though she could understand why, seeing him so affected was worrisome, scary even.

Back in her village, even though people didn't talk much about him, there seemed to be a consensus that their leader was impervious to pretty much anything, and seeing him of all people feeling what she could only assume to be vulnerability made her feel unsafe.

She should stop thinking too hard about that and focus on her reason for being there: cheering Madara up.

If she understood everything, he was blaming himself for the situation, and particularly for Izuna being in the same situation and she couldn't let him do that.

"You know" She took a deep breath and used the pause as an opportunity to be sure of what she was about to say. Caution was never excessive with Madara, because sometimes the most pointless of things seemed to send him a rage. "I can't say I understand exactly what it's like, because I don't, but I don't think you should do this to yourself." That seemed to have caught his attention, because he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes "I really don't know how to solve this, but what I know is that beating yourself over will only be bad for you, and even more for Izuna."

"And how would you know?" There was a smile on his face, but his voice was bitter.

"Because I have a big brother too." Ringo replied instantly, smiling in spite of his sour mood. She wasn't sure if it was because she felt that Madara wanted to find some sort of comfort or simply if _she_ wanted to comfort him, but she knew that either one would require that she didn't let his humor affect her "I can't read thoughts but… I know I wouldn't want my brother to suffer because of me, no matter if anyone's to fault. Actually I… it would make me feel guilty."

He didn't answer, choosing instead to stare ahead, not blankly, but she couldn't quite name what his expression resembled. She couldn't even say if her words had made him feel more at ease or if they had the exact opposite effect, but she decided that it was worth the risk.

"I know I'm probably no help at all" Ringo started "but if you ever think of something I could do, you should tell me. I mean, I don't think you'd care for bothering me – I wouldn't either" she added quickly, when she noticed his expression morphed in the slightest "but… I think you might not say anything because it would make you feel…" _weak_ "…not like yourself, so I'm saying that you shouldn't worry about me thinking less of you or telling anyone about it."

She had finished speaking, but Madara remained silent for a few more moments, most likely thinking of her words or how to reply, but he could have simply ignored her and was now lost in his own thoughts. Either way, she wouldn't move from her spot for the time being.

At last, his expression changed to what could be interpreted as pain or deep thought, and she watched as he finally began speaking.

"Didn't you say you were good at comforting people?"

"At least knowing that I care made you feel better, didn't it?" She pressed, disappointed that her words had caused so little impact.

"It doesn't even feel like you're trying." His tone was serious, but there was a hint of a smirk on his lips.

"Well then." Ringo crossed her arms and lifted her chin in fake indignation.

"But" Madara began unexpectedly and she snapped her head towards him "at least you're not lying to my face. _Now_."

She didn't miss his veiled insult, but she chose to focus on another side of his words.

"When I asked you about Michio you didn't lie just to make me feel better." She shrugged "So I figured you wouldn't want me to say certain things just because they sound nicer."

"But you did say I could ask you for help." He sent her a sideways glance, and something about the way he looked at her made her shiver, but she forced herself to nod in response "I wonder to which extent you'd keep your words."

"So long as I was able to." Her answer brought a smirk to his face, but instead of making her more confident, it only made her think she had said something wrong.

"And if I asked for your eyes?" The girl's eyes were wide as she inspected his face for any indications that he was joking but he looked absolutely serious. She could feel her heart skipping a beat.

"Are you asking for my eyes?" She blurted out.

"I said _if_."

Ringo looked away and pursed her lips in thought. She was sure that if this was the _only way_, she would bring herself to do so… eventually.

"Well… I would. I mean, I wouldn't _want to_, but it would only make sense, wouldn't it?" She was fumbling with her fingers now "I know Izuna is more important than me, so of course I would, if someone had to do it. I think anyone would."

"I somehow doubt it." The grin on his face looked like a challenge.

"So _are_ you asking for my eyes?"

"Unless you happen to have the Sharingan, they'd be useless." Ringo nodded, more relieved than anything, but Madara seemed to have mistaken her gesture for understanding, and his eyes widened a fraction "Do you know anything about the Sharingan?"

She averted her gaze and clasped her hands together, feeling slightly embarrassed about having her words misunderstood. And… she didn't really know what a Sharingan was, at least not exactly.

"Uh… I know it's a thing with the eyes." She mumbled, and she wasn't in the least bit surprised when his expression changed from one of interest to one of contempt.

"Insightful." His voice was more than sarcastic, it was downright annoyed, which caused her to feel annoyance as well.

"I don't know what it does exactly." She explained as calmly as she could "But I know is a certain ability that only Uchiha are born with and that it changes the way they see things."

"To put it incredibly naively." He retorted acidly, and Ringo forced herself to swallow her pride. She wouldn't remind him of how none ever taught her what her clan's technique was, as she wasn't likely to ever even be able to use it, and how he probably didn't know about most things that pertained fruit trees – which she was fairly knowledgeable of, thank you very much – because the only reason for her to be talking to him in the first place was to cheer him up. So she'd shush the part of her mind that refused to back down from arguments for the sake of a more pressing matter.

"Did you really expect something else from me?" She smiled kindly. It didn't matter that she was a little angry at his insults; she could put this aside easily.

"You almost had me for a minute." Madara replied thoughtfully, and something about him seemed almost amused. Good, she was getting somewhere.

"I'm glad to be at least able to distract you." She said honestly.

The man's reaction was not what she expected: He lowered his head causing his hair to fall in a way that hid his face from her view and snickered.

"And now you've gone and ruined it." Ringo gaped at him for a moment, before sighing and letting her shoulders drop. "What you want is to distract me?"

"I wanted to cheer you up, but distracting is good enough."

"You'd do a better job if you could dance." She furrowed her brows at this commentary. What did dancing have to do with that? Madara suddenly glanced at her, and if his expression was anything to go by, he found her confusion to be funny. "But _this_ can't be helped."

"I really have no idea what you're talking about." She risked a grin, which only humored him further. She'd rather she wasn't the source of the joke, but so long as he wasn't depressed, she thought she'd be fine.

"Do you want to be a better distraction?" He asked, and the question seemed innocent enough, so she nodded.

Ringo hadn't expected him to move, and so when she felt a hand cupping the side of her face and lifting it she was more than a little surprised. Madara didn't wait for her reaction, and suddenly his lips were on hers, for the first time in years.

Shock kept her from doing anything, but she suspected that she wouldn't have much success if she tried moving. He wasn't being forceful (in fact, the contact was so little she wasn't sure she should even call it a kiss) but his stance seemed to say that he wouldn't budge.

Soon enough, Madara pulled back, but all the while she had remained in the same position, too astonished to even think if she'd like to respond or push him away, and, more importantly, which one would be the right thing to do.

"Changed your mind?" He inquired with a quirk of his brows, face still close to hers.

Well, if she had been about to, any thoughts of distancing herself were quenched away with that question.

She stood on her toes and pressed her lips against his, more aggressively than he had. Although he didn't react at first (which made her wonder if she had somehow made a grave mistake) he suddenly grabbed her shoulders to keep her pressed against him.

She had been right about thinking at the moment. She wouldn't get to a satisfying conclusion even if she tried, not to mention it would probably confuse her more. She should just do what she had set out to do; that is, being a distraction.

As Madara pulled her closer and she felt her body melting into his, she wondered why she even wanted to think about that situation to begin with.

* * *

Riki had known Ringo for a long enough time – all of his life, to be precise, to doubt her. He had seen her at both her best and her worst, and, more than trust her with his life, he knew she wasn't one to lie. She avoided lying if she could, and invariably felt guilt when she did. He had always thought she trusted him enough to be honest in any and every matter. But no, the events of that afternoon led him to believe he was completely _wrong_.

Like his father and grandfather, Riki worked with deliveries , and so it was no wonder that he chose to undertake a similar job while living in the village by the Uchiha compound. Though he had had to get used to a strict schedule and a grumpy employer, the work was easy and paid well enough.

He had finished his tasks for the day and he would already have returned to his house if not for the elderly couple that had held him rooted in their doorstep simply to have a chat. They were kind – which was more than he expected from anyone in that place – but watching the two elders reminiscing the past because he reminded them of his late son was uncomfortable, but he didn't have the heart to leave until they said he could go.

After that he was eager to get home and decided to take a shortcut through a street that was generally deserted that time of the day, and he was expecting to find it nearly empty. The sight didn't disappoint: there were only two people in the street, partly hidden under the shade of a roof, but to his utter discomfort, they seemed to be kissing. He was planning on walking right by them, when he recognized the two figures.

He recognized the larger one first; the leader of the Uchiha clan was probably hard to mistake, and though the image of Madara being involved like this was very strange, it was none of Riki's business, and he frankly _didn't care_, but he admitted that maybe it would be best if he changed paths in case the man noticed him and decided he was 'snooping' or something like that. He hadn't planned on taking a look at whoever else he was with, but a single glance was all that it took for him to freeze on the spot.

At first he tried to come up with an excuse as to why she looked so much like Ringo, but the more he looked at her, the more he realized that there were too many similarities for it to be a coincidence.

When the two pulled away Riki noticed he had been staring, and that the longer he stayed there, the bigger were his chances of getting caught, and he hastily ducked behind a house. His mind was still trying to come with terms with the scene he had witnessed, but he didn't have time to think about how shocked and how angry he was, he had to get moving.

The young man walked away, trying to balance speed and silence, and set a route to the house Ringo and her father were living in.

He had promised her not to tell Katsuro about the little he knew of what had transpired between her and Madara, but given the current circumstances – and the fact that she had _lied_ to him – he thought he was in his right to break that vow.

Once he decided he had put a good distance between himself and that _thing_ that had happened, he began sprinting down the street.

Riki arrived at Katsuro's out of breath, and the fact that he had good stamina was a statement as to how far in the outskirts of the village the house was.

He clambered up the porch and clapped his hands to warn the farmer of his presence, without realizing that the sound of his footsteps had already done so for him.

When the door was opened, he was met with Katsuro's furrowed brows.

"Riki." He greeted "Is something the matter?"

"Hmm…" In retrospect, maybe showing up in Katsuro's house panting and without a clue of how he was going to explain the problem hadn't been such a good idea. "Ringo…"

As he trailed off, the farmer's expression of concern deepened and briefly gained a hint of anger to it, beforing returning to its previous state.

Riki had forgotten just how scary Katsuro could be. He almost regretted talking to the man, because even if Ringo never showed anything but respect towards her father, he still wasn't someone Riki would like to be in bad terms with.

But now he was already there, and backing away would not only be bad for him, it would also be bad for his friend.

"I'm worried about her." He said, hoping the other would already have some suspicions about his daughter, just so he wouldn't have to explain what he had seen.

"Whatever do you mean?" The smile on the man's face was politely curious if anything, but something about his eyes made Riki feel as though something was freezing his very core.

"I… I've seen her today…" The young man knew exactly what words to say, but he felt the sudden fear that there was the slightest possibility of the clan leader somehow discovering what he wanted to reveal – from the stories Riki heard, assuming that the man could see through walls wasn't farfetched – but, strangely enough, the idea of Katsuro discovering the information through other means and realizing _he_ knew it seemed just as unpleasant. For a moment he almost wished he hadn't seen anything… but he couldn't let Ringo keep _that_ secret "I've seen her with Madara."

Katsuro stared at him as if he had just sprouted a second head. Riki had hoped the other man would understand him without the need for further explanation, but his prayers seemed to have been futile.

The farmer's expression hardened, making him look part thoughtful and part determinate, yet entirely intimidating, and, hadn't been for the certainty that he was helping his childhood friend, he'd have regretted ever opening his mouth.

"Come in, Riki." The man spoke calmly, moving aside so he could step into the house.

"No, it's no problem!" He gave a forced grin.

"_Come in_." Katsuro insisted, and everything about him made it clear that he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Riki had no idea how the man could force him to do something, but he didn't want to test that theory.

With stiff steps, he walked inside the small house and stood just by the entrance – hopefully Katsuro would let him go soon – and the man walked by him, moving to sit at the table in the center of the room.

"You are not mistaken?" He asked calmly

"No, I've seen her face." Riki shook his head, his voice trailing off at the end of the sentence.

"By _with_ Madara I assume they were not simply in the same vicinity, but interacting as well?" The young man nodded "Please, elaborate."

He had been worried about that part.

But there was simply no backing out now. Before speaking, he took a deep breath and prayed to all the gods that the clan leader couldn't see through walls.

"I saw them kissing."

Though Katsuro's eyes were directed towards him, Riki had the impression he was looking right through him.

"I appreciate you telling me" The farmer finally spoke after a long pause, lowering his eyes to his lap "and am thankful."

"I understand if you tell her about this." Riki bowed his head "I know she won't be happy with me, but I know I did the right thing by telling you."

"Indeed." The man sighed "But you shouldn't worry. She won't know that you told me – in fact, she won't know that I know either."

"Then…" Riki paused a moment to think before furrowing his brows "You won't do anything?"

"Oh, no, I will." Katsuro smiled "I just feel that being outspoken about it will only serve to cause a scandal. In any case, I thank you for your concern."

"Of course." The young man widened his eyes, before bowing his head lightly "Ringo is like a sister to me."

The farmer's eyes softened almost imperceptibly – at least imperceptibly to someone like Riki, he was sure. If the boy was honest about what he was saying, then he was an ally. Katsuro knew from hard experience that setting worthy plans into motions required more than a single person.

He couldn't help if his first thought when hearing what Riki had to say was murder. Even after all those years his desire to see Madara dead had not diminished, but never before had he felt such a great need to end him with his own hands.

But that had been a fleeting wish. He knew he had no chances of causing the bastard any direct harm, but the thought of scheming his death lingered for a while longer. But that worked out so well the first time, didn't it?

Murder was, unfortunately, off the table. Even if he had any hopes of success, he wouldn't put his daughter through _that_ ordeal again. He also had to admit that trying to attack Madara anyway wasn't smart, but that didn't mean he wouldn't take precautions, and, if everything worked well, he could even get something to use against the clan leader, and Ringo would be none the wiser.

"Riki" He spoke, seemingly startling the boy "Take a seat, please."

The other's eyes widened, and he glanced sideways, as if looking for an excuse _not to_.

"Katsuro-san, I really…" The farmer laughed heartily at his response, even though he found it to be much more annoying than amusing.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble." Katsuro gave him his best smile "I just thought you'd be more comfortable sitting."

Riki shuffled from one foot to another, before moving to sit in front of the man. It was clear that he would be much more _comfortable_ standing, but right now Katsuro couldn't care less.

"I appreciate what you've done" He started "But there's still one thing I have to ask of you."

* * *

…Damn, Madara.

That took me quite a while. As always, no excuses. But I finished this thing on sleep deprivation, so yay.

To be honest, I'm still not happy with this and it's probably because I've grown unsatisfied with the premise. I mean, I _like_ it, but I don't feel like it's up to a standard that pleases me. I'm going to keep writing it, but I feel like it's not good enough for me.

In regards to the fighthing scene I was pondering how I should make Madara use the water jutsu (that he copied, obviously), because I remember that originally most people had to be near bodies of water to use them, but then in the shinobi war folks were using them like it was nobody's business. Because I really wanted to have this water summoning skill be Tobirama's shtick, I decided that goddammit, Madara can't just do water jutsus as he pleases.


End file.
